Mojave Desert
-
NASA
NASA, USGS Scientists Go Rock Hounding in California’s High Desert
Equipped with rock picks and hand lenses, a team of geoscientists deployed to the Mojave Desert recently to investigate a tantalizing “fingerprint” detected by a NASA sensor. Their target: a cache of topaz hiding in plain sight. The geologists weren’t searching for gem-grade treasure. Rather, the presence of topaz could hint at a more valuable deposit below of something known…
Read More » -
NASA
Testing Drones for Mars in the Mojave Desert
Researchers from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory monitor a research drone in this September 2025 photo. This flight occurred in Dumont Dunes, an area of the Mojave Desert, as part of a larger test campaign to develop navigation software that would guide future rotorcraft on Mars. The work was among 25 projects funded by NASA’s Mars Exploration Program this past year to push…
Read More » -
Press Releases
Stratolaunch Carrier Aircraft Completes Sixth Flight Test
Stratolaunch announces the completion of its sixth flight test of Roc, the world’s largest flying aircraft. The aircraft flew for 1 hour and 26 minutes over the Mojave Desert and reached an altitude of 15,000 feet (4572 m). The sixth flight focused on continuing Roc’s flight envelope expansion with the recent addition of the pylon on the aircraft’s center wing.…
Read More »